It boggles the mind.
Check out this little ditty from Todd's Hammer about BYU "Free Speech" policies. The Q&A with the President of the University at the end is what floored me. Nothing up to that point surprised me. The administrators who wouldn't identify themselves where just stupid, but I expected more from the president of a university. Some pretense at diplomacy at least. I mean, why even agree to a Q&A session when you are unwilling to answer the questions? Let me rephrase that. Why even agree to a Q&A session when you are unwilling to address the concerns? Technically he did answer the question: "What is the university afraid of?" "The university isn't afraid of anything. Next question." My translation: Me big. You little. Now sit down and shut up.
Periodically the church has problems with people who not only have the audacity to think and come to conclusions that differ from positions officially sanctioned by the church, but also have the chutzpah to make waves. The response is usually to excommunicate them. You know: "Out of sight. Out of mind." It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Unlike Todd, I can't really see the police getting involved to break up the alternative commencement ceremonies. On the other hand, I can see the administration denying a diploma to anyone who participates. Frankly, that is a much stronger deterrent in my mind: a few days in jail or four years and thousands of dollars down the drain? Which do you think has more teeth?
Even when I was a BYU student, this kind of draconian control irked me. I was too responsible a child to walk away from the four year scholarship I had, though. If it hadn't been for that, I probably would not have gone back after my first year. Now all I can do is stand with my jaw hanging open and furiously try and think of graceful and intelligent ways to counteract my daughter's current infatuation with BYU.